Puccula
by setesm
Summary: When Friday the 13th arrives, the ancient Sooga Village must lock its doors for the night to avoid the nearby coven of vampires. But when Dada is taken, Garu, Ching, and Abyo venture into the nest of the coven to find him. Little do they know which unbelievably adorable and powerful vampire lies in wait. Story takes place in an AU (similar to some episodes in the original series).
1. Chapter 1

_This fiction takes place in an AU like some of the original show's episodes. In this universe, the characters have the same names, but you'll notice that Pucca is not originally among them. You should picture this taking place in an older time period, with clothes resembling that of the traditional Slavic culture (feel free to google it). This is my first fanfic, and it is meant to_ resemble _the actual show. Note that I said_ resemble _; not want. Enjoy! And feel free to leave comments, questions, suggestions, or constructive criticism :)_ **Disclaimer:** I do not own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

It was a very dark and stormy evening. Howling could clearly be heard under the shining light of the full moon, and the bamboo plants of the forest seemed to be whispering to each other about the presence of humans. And very deep into that forest loomed the old, creaky manor that was the curse of Sooga Village. Every mortal knew that that manor harbored a coven of vampires.

And so it was, that on every Friday the 13th, the vampires flooded into the village in search of easy prey. On these nights, all of the Sooga Villagers receded into their warm, safe homes with locked doors for the evening, praying that the vampires would overlook them.

But on this night, several unfortunate souls were not tucked away in their beds…

. . .

 _Earlier that day…_

Master Soo floated before the gathered town with two of his handmaidens at his side. Both were very frightened, fidgeting nervously against him. Everyone was anxious to get home before nightfall. The crowd as a whole was quietly muttering, everyone discussing what would become of this ancient town.

"Silence!" Master Soo cried. When the town fell silent, he continued. "Very good. As you all know, it's Friday the 13th. We have not dealt with the vampires for several months now, but tonight they return."

The muttering started up again, before he continued. "I said quiet!" He boomed. "Yeesh, maybe you people are the vampire problem. Such a pain in my neck."

There was an audible cough in the crowd. The handmaidens might have laughed, had they not been so terrified.

"Wow, tough audience," he muttered to his girls. "Anyhoo, I called you all here to remind you of this night, and to warn you to stay in your homes. If anyone were to step foot outside, there would be no way to save them. Are we clear?"

"But what about Yumi?" A petulant voice trilled. "She needs to be walked every night or she'll gain weight." Ring Ring stepped forward, as much a diva as ever.

Master Soo stared her down. "Is it worth your life?"

She huffed and crossed her arms.

"Well then, if that's all." Master Soo finished, "I'm not going to stick around. I wouldn't want to get bit. I hear being a vampire really sucks." Another cough. "Oy! No one appreciates comedy! Let's go ladies."

After the three floated off, Garu, Abyo, and Ching gathered to talk.

"I don't understand why we keep hiding away indoors every few months." Abyo said to the others. "Garu and I could easily take the coven with our combined super-ninja skills! Hiii-yaa!" He kicked and punched at the open air as he ripped off his shirt.

Ching giggled, leaning down to collect the split pieces of Abyo's shirt. "That may be true, but no one's ever done it before. I think we should listen to what Master Soo said and just stay inside."

Garu nodded with a grunt of agreement.

"Fine," Abyo huffed. "But I'm telling you. If I had it my way, no vampires would ruin a Friday the 13th ever again."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

Ring Ring wasn't happy. She was staring outside her bedroom window and pouting with Yumi in her arms. "Where does that old man Soo get off? Telling me what to do!" She looked down at Yumi and sighed as she stroked the dog's head.

"Mommy knows what's best for you, doesn't she?" She cooed. "And you need that walk!" The dog barked in agreement.

Ring Ring's eyes roved the street outside, and focused on a familiar, blond figure. He was darting down the road, quaking with anxiety over the night to come. A wicked smile stretched across her face at seeing him.

She nuzzled her cheek against Yumi before grabbing her leash. "Don't worry, precious. Mommy has a plan."

After primping her face with an extra coat of makeup and putting on the most lascivious dress she owned, she made her way to Dada. It was about a half-hour before evening, and he was glancing over the exterior of his house for cracks when she approached. He noticed her almost immediately, and paused to give her a double-take.

"Wow, Ring Ring. You look fantastic." His face lit with a sort of idol worship. She smiled brilliantly, and blushed unintentionally at his praise. Ring Ring loved a spotlight, and Dada always seemed to provide one. Even if he was a dirty dishwasher.

"I _know_." She responded, and then generously added, "You don't look too bad yourself."

Dada's whole face turned crimson, and he ducked his head to hide the world's largest smile. "Is there anything I can help you with?" He asked her eagerly.

"Well, there is _one_ thing. But I don't know…" She bit her lip. "It's risky." He was nodding fervently before she even asked. "I'll do it."

Dada responded exactly as she had hoped, though a tiny part of her felt bad for manipulating him. But she sternly reminded herself of how important this was for Yumi, and continued with that resolve.

"Okay!" She handed him the leash. "I need you to take Yumi for a walk at nightfall." His eyes widened, and he nearly froze. "But…but the vampires..?" She saw his shaking frame and rolled her eyes.

"Relax. They aren't going to get you with Yumi watching over you. She just has to be taken for a quick walk at night so that she gets the exercise she needs for her diet without burning her feet." He still looked hesitant, so she continued, "I'm afraid to do it myself. But I thought of you because you're so big and strong. I just _know_ that you can handle this."

Shock at that comment made him forget his fear from a second before. "You really think so?" He asked, surprised.

"Of _course_!" She lied.

"Okay then." He smiled dopily.

"Fantastic. You can walk her at dusk. Take her around town before you drop her back off at my place."

With the responsibility of it all Dada began to grow anxious again. Interiorly rolling her eyes, Ring Ring quickly hugged him before turning to head back to her home. "Thank you!" She called back over her shoulder. He watched her leave with a huge blush and an expression of awe. Then he shook his head, and led the dog back into the small house he had forgotten to proof.


	3. Chapter 3

_First off, I'd like to say that I may have lied at the prelude to the first chapter where I said accuracy over what we want to get from this, as you may have noticed last chapter. The Ring Ring/Dada scene just sort of happened. So instead I'll clarify that all of the characters will stay in character. Though you may be slightly happier with Garu here than in the original cartoon series. Enjoy and please review!_ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

Dusk fell, and the moon began to peak in the sky. Its illumination shone down on the bamboo plants as the wind whistled through them, and every movement of their shadows made Dada want to run home.

"Okay Yumi." His grip on the leash was so tight that his knuckles turned white. "Please protect me!" He cowered as he walked the dog.

Suddenly, the sound of bubbly laughter trilled from the edge of the forest. Dada's head flashed to find the source as he jumped, but he saw only the end of a shadow flitting behind the bamboo.

His poor legs shook as his head darted from side to side, paranoid. His teeth were chattering, and sweat drops poured from his forehead. But after a long moment of nothing, he sighed. "Oh. I must have been imagin—"

A dark figure at an impossibly fast speed ran by one of the shops in his peripheral vision. Dada was in a panic, and looked down to find Yumi and hightail it out of there. But she was long gone, having yanked her leash from Dada's grip when he jumped. "This can't be good!" He said, shaking his head.

The dark figure materialized directly ahead of him. Dada cowered on the ground, yelping as she slowly approached.

And then, as quickly as she had appeared, both vanished. She left nothing behind but the trailing sound of her bubbly laughter.

. . .

Ring Ring was still wearing the same alluring makeup and pink dress while waiting for Dada to arrive. She might even have been a little excited. Until she heard Yumi barking at the door.

"What! He shouldn't be done yet!" She fumed. And for a moment, her perfect face began to contort with the red markings of her other form. But she took a deep breath, and relaxed back into her doll face. "I'm too perfect to be angry!" She chided herself. "But I'm still going to let that dirty dishwasher have it!"

But when she opened the door, Dada was nowhere in sight. There was only Yumi, sitting on the ground and shivering with the long pink leash in tow.

Ring Ring gasped, both of her pink gloved hands reaching to her mouth in horror. What had happened to Dada?

Without a second thought, she rushed Yumi into the house and ran out into the stormy night.


	4. Chapter 4

_First of all, I'm sorry the last episode was so short. All the chapters are, but that one especially. I like to write in scenes though, and I also understand the need to keep some of them short to get to the juicy part of the story. Also, I know you all want to see more Pucca! She will be in the next chapter. Just stick with it. So enjoy! And if you like it, or have a question, or want to comment on something that didn't line up, please review so that I know you're reading! Thank you :)_ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I heard something!" Shouted Abyo. He, Ching, and Garu were walking down the same street where Dada was taken.

"Quiet, Abyo! We believe you. Now let's try not to attract the attention of any vampires."

She stared down at his shirt as she spoke, and giggled when she pictured him ripping it off again. After he did so earlier, Ching took the old pieces home to repair while Abyo grabbed a new one from one of the many stashes he had around town. It was thinking of the little things, like this, that kept her functioning when she was close to fear.

Ching didn't want to go outside. She was perfectly content staying home on the 13th. But Abyo insisted he heard someone in trouble. And it was her duty as a ninja to help.

Garu rolled his eyes at the stupidity of it all. He was sure that Abyo was just making this story up to get them out of the house after nightfall. And he certainly didn't want to come outside just to watch his two friends court. Blech. Just thinking about it made him feel nauseated.

Garu had always found romance distasteful to say the least. And though he was friends with Abyo because of their shared expertise—well, somewhat—in martial arts, he had no patience for his friend's obsession with girls.

The sound of footsteps running toward them immediately cut into his reverie. Abyo and Ching, oblivious as always, continued their conversation. Before the footsteps reached them, he pulled out his sword, and barred his friends' path with it. They took the hint and fell back silently with him and waited.

A moment later, the running stopped. They waited for the source to step forward, but after a few minutes of nothing, Abyo got fidgety.

"I can't take this any longer." He whispered, then shouted, "Show yourself!"

Ring Ring ran into their field of vision.

"Oh thank goodness I _found_ you guys!" She exclaimed. "Dada was taken by the vampires!" All three stared at her stunned.

Finally, Ching found it in her to speak. "Why was Dada outside?"

Ring Ring huffed and then responded, "After Master Soo told me I couldn't walk Yumi tonight, he was kind enough to offer."

"That doesn't sound like Dada." Ching commented dubiously. "Why were you with him?"

Ring Ring flushed red before shouting, "It doesn't matter! When I realized he was taken, I came outside to see what I could do. And I told you. Now it's your job."

"Why should we do it for you?" Abyo whined. Ching elbowed him. "Abyo! Dada's out there alone in a coven of vampires! He needs our help!"

"Listen to your girlfriend," cooed Ring Ring. "I have to go back now and make sure my Yumi's okay." She glared at Abyo, and for a moment, the marks on her face returned. "You better bring Dada back in one piece!" He gulped—and Garu snickered—while Ring Ring ran back the way she came.

Ching crossed her arms impatiently. "Come on guys! We have to hurry!"

Abyo's eyes lit up, and he pulled three wooden stakes out of the back of his pants. They both looked at him quizzically, and he shrugged . "What? I brought them just in case."

Garu shook his head as he and Ching each grabbed one. Then the three pushed their way into the thick bamboo forest.

Above them, the looming storm clouds pressed together, muffling the light of the full moon and encasing the night in complete darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

_So, credit where it's due: the Abyo clothes stash last chapter was my sister's idea. I thought it was clever, so I used it. Thanks sis! And this is the chapter you've all been waiting for. I'm trying to shift this back to the storyline of a regular episode, so you'll see Pucca using her gravity-defying abilities. After all, that's why we love the show :) So enjoy and review please! It might be a few days before I post again, but at least this gives you a little something to take away!_ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

 _ **Sorry I edited this chapter. I just needed to change her name back to Pucca. Puccula is a cute title, but it doesn't fit in the text. I promise I won't do this again!** **Thank you for sticking with this!**_

* * *

She heard the four as soon as they stepped foot in the street, and was ecstatic. Her uncles had asked for more, and now here they were! Enough for a feast.

Pucca crept closer to the edge of the forest. She could hear one of them running away. Stealthily, she poked her head out to see what was happening.

"Ooh." She delighted, as her eyes immediately fell on one of the boys in the group.

His ebony hair cupped the sides of his face, while also pulled up into two small pigtails at either side of his head. His eyes were big and strangely intense. This boy was clearly strong and beautiful.

Pucca couldn't help herself! She swooned in place. Her sighs formed hearts that swiveled around her like brilliant stars, and it seemed like she couldn't concentrate on anything else but him.

She nearly ran out to him then and there. But then the other boy pulled out three wooden stakes. Her tongue popped out in annoyance.

Obviously she wasn't worried about any of them posing a threat. But Pucca didn't want a fight. She needed to figure out a way to get the pretty boy alone.

As the three entered the forest, a lightbulb flashed over her head. Looking up at the full bright moon and the storm clouds looming, Pucca jumped into the air and spun herself so fast, that the clouds pulled together above her. The sky turned perfectly black.

And with her twenty-twenty night vision, she ran into the forest ahead of them.

. . .

They had been walking for ten minutes now, unable to see a thing, and all had the eerie sense that they were being watched. When an owl hooted overhead, Ching jumped and clutched Abyo's arm.

"I don't like this." She whispered, glancing nervously around the forest and seeing nothing.

The bamboos still hummed in conversation, and the snapping of twigs could be heard in every direction.

"Oh come on. Don't tell me you're afraid of a little darkness," Abyo started. But as he pushed away a bamboo, he came face to face with a small pair of eyes.

He screamed and jumped back into Ching's arms. The creature ribbited, and Ching burst into giggles. "Well at least I'm not afraid of frogs."

Garu snickered, and Abyo blushed at the insult. "How was I supposed to know that was a frog, and not a vampire?" He whined petulantly.

"Whatever, Abyo." She chuckled. "I thought you were—"

Suddenly, Ching and Abyo plummeted down through a pile of leaves, hitting the ground below with an audible "Oof!" Garu screeched to a halt just before the pit to avoid tumbling in after his friends.

"We're okay." Ching called up to him nervously.

"No, we're trapped!" Shouted Abyo. "Could you hurry up and get us out of here?"

Garu peered down into the dark pit, trying to make out their forms. But he couldn't see anything. "Hmm…" He grunted.

Unexpectedly, the clouds parted to reveal enough moonlight to see them by.

Ching smiled up at Garu, and then gasped, "Garu, behind you!"

With lightning speed, he whipped around to face the threat.

Before him stood a little girl only a couple years younger than himself. She had raven-black hair pulled back into two neat buns. Her eyes were slender and bright with enthusiasm.

Garu noticed that she was wearing a cute little number, a dress that was short in the front, and almost cape-like in the back. Ribbons wrapped around her legs from her shoes. And she was wearing a small crown with a little gray veil.

Then he zeroed in on her elated smile, brilliantly displaying her vampire teeth.

He flinched back, nearly falling into the pit with his friends.

But before he could even register that he was falling, her hands reached out and grabbed the collars of his coat with a giggle. It trilled like bells, and Garu was astonished to find that it was actually cute.

Then she ruined it by leaning in to peck him on the lips.

His face turned red, and he spit in disgust. The girl only continued to giggle, before dragging him deeper into the woods. He squirmed and pushed against her, but to no avail.

For a split moment, he considered reaching for his stake. But he knew he couldn't hurt this girl, even if she was a vampire.

And so he was dragged across the forest floor, grunting. In the distance, Garu heard Ching and Abyo shouting their promises to find and save him.


	6. Chapter 6

_I finished this much sooner than I expected. I have the ACT this weekend, so I probably won't have the next chapter up until Saturday evening. I hope to finish the story then, but we'll see. I think "Puccula" will have only two or three more chapters. After I finish this, I'd like to write more episodes (as if the series didn't end). So if you like my work, message me or write a review of another Pucca episode you'd like to see! For now, enjoy this chapter :)_ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

 _ **Note: 3rd paragraph contains a make-out session. It's pretty tame, but might deserve a teen rating. If you're not into that, don't read it. It's just a fantasy Pucca has about Garu.**_

* * *

Hearts and dirt flew out behind her as she ran toward the scary Sooga Manor. The pretty boy grunted and spluttered in displeasure while she dragged him, and his eyes were scrunched like arrows pointing inward toward his face. Pucca found the sight of it beyond adorable.

She was giddy at the thought of bringing him home, or just the thought of him. Fantasies played out in her head of the two of them in her room in the candlelight…

 _They sat very close together in her little coffin. He smiled at her with half-closed lids. Everything about him was confident, almost playfully cocky. And she loved it! His hand reached out to gently grasp hers, and she giggled at his forwardness. Then he pulled her in for one soft kiss. Followed by another… and another. Swept up in the romance, her hands clasped his pigtails. She pulled through the bands with her fingers, leaving extra-long and shaggy hair in their places. They continued to kiss each other, enveloped in the moment. And though they were both silent, his intense eyes clearly whispered her name…_

Once again focused on the present, Pucca looked back down at him and sighed in contentment.

But Garu wasn't looking, as his eyes were squeezed tight to keep out the dust and dirt that her every step flung toward him. When he made the mistake of opening his mouth, dirt had poured in. Spitting and choking, he hoped that the girl would stop or slow down soon.

Suddenly, the flurry of dirt fell, and only the dust hung in the air from her sprint. Pucca stopped running and dragged Garu up the creaky wooden steps to the ornate red door of the black manor.

He gulped, terrified of what might be inside, while she displayed her brightest smile and knocked.

Three burly adult vampires opened the door.

"Well, well…" Said one.

"What do we have here?" Said another.

And as the last one approached Garu, he promptly fainted.

. . .

"Give me a boost, Ching!" Abyo huffed angrily, after failing multiple attempts at climbing the wall.

She was losing hope of escaping fast, but she still crouched and tried to give him a solid lift. When Abyo jumped, however; he was nowhere near the top of the pit.

"It's no use," she sighed miserably. "We'll never get out of here and find Garu in time." She lowered her head into her knees, and tried to hold herself together. What would happen to Garu and Dada? And what would happen to them for that matter? Ching couldn't see herself and Abyo getting out of this pit without help. And there would be no humans coming to rescue them tonight.

"At least give it a _try_!" Abyo exclaimed. When Ching's head didn't move, he huffed again. "A true ninja would never back down from saving her friends!"

She looked up at that, and her sad eyes made contact with his wide, gorgeous ones. "Well what would you have me do?"

He was silent after that. Abyo stared down at the ground for a moment, but then his head flashed back up to see hers.

"Give me your stake." He said excitedly.

"Wh-what are you..?" She trailed off as he reached for the one in his back pocket.

"Oh!" Her eyes lit with understanding. "Abyo, you're a genius!" She shouted. Then she tackled him with a kiss. It was warm and sweet, and made her head rush.

She giggled and blushed as she broke away from it, before handing him her stake.

Abyo's face was bright red. "Uh… Thanks." He chuckled nervously as he accepted it. Then he shook off his confusion and started climbing.

. . .

"Where do we go from here?" Ching asked once she reached the top.

"My senses tell me that Garu is that way!" Abyo pointed to a small trail that led deep into the woods.

Ching surveyed the surroundings and giggled. "Mine tell me we should go this way." She said, pointing to the torn up dirt from Pucca's path.

The storm clouds were clearing, and the moon shone down brightly enough to reveal the tracks of something heavy being dragged across the forest floor.

Ching nodded to herself, happy with her sleuthing. Abyo, meanwhile, chuckled sheepishly. "That would have been my second guess."

She laughed sweetly before falling back into the seriousness of the task at hand. Together, the two bravely raced into the night to save their captured friends.


	7. Chapter 7

_Sorry this took so long. I've been busy and unwilling to rush this. Thank you to those of you who favorited and reviewed this story! I'm writing this for you. This chapter may be a little confusing, but it will clear up in the next one (probably the last). So enjoy! And yes, if you catch my adult joke in here—it was intended._ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

He heard a strange and familiar giggling as if through foggy water. Garu tried to drown it out and keep sleeping. But as it continued, he recalled the events of that day and jolted up breathlessly.

The girl stood over him, smiling as always. From her position, Garu realized that he was sitting in a coffin. Gasping and sputtering, he scrambled out of the death bed faster than a cat out of water.

But in his haste to get out of the coffin, he forgot about the aggressive female beside him. In an instant she was in front of him. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were less than an inch away from his.

The reflexes he had built up from years of training and meditation kicked in, and he threw a pillow from the coffin at her face. Before the overzealous girl could respond, Garu was out the door of her room.

"Pftt!" Pucca spit as her tongue grazed the pillow. Cotton fibers clung to its tip, and after a moment of spitting without luck, she scraped what remained off her tongue with her fingers.

She considered the scene that had just played out before her. Of course, things didn't go exactly as she had imagined after bringing the handsome sleeping boy to her room. But Pucca couldn't complain.

This was the first time she had ever taken any interest in a boy. She had dreamed about having a boyfriend before, so the concept of boys wasn't anything new. But prince charming had always eluded her until now, and it didn't help that she only left the manor every Friday the 13th.

But this beautiful boy was it. Fate had led her to him, this strong ninja that was the spitting image of the boyfriend she had always dreamed of… minus the blonde hair and chiseled chest. _Though_ , she recalled with a giggle, _his chest isn't too far off_.

And with that image she almost burst through the ceiling with energy. Pucca was always a stubborn girl, and now she had a chance to prove it with the irresistible boy playing hard-to-get.

With a giddy smile she skipped out the door of her bedroom, and sprinted down the hall in search of him.

. . .

The storm clouds had cleared, and the full moon shone down brightly on Ching and Abyo as they made their way through the forest.

Ching glanced around nervously for what must have been the hundredth time, when she heard underbrush crunch as if under a steady footstep. "Ohh." She groaned anxiously, and grabbed Abyo's hand.

His face turned red for the second time that night, and he avoided looking at her. But his hand remained firmly in hers as they drew closer to the manor.

. . .

Garu was running faster than he ever had before. But the girl's giggles sounded closer with every step he took. He realized he couldn't outrun her.

There were many doors along the corridor he was passing through, and without thinking he ducked left into the closest one.

Inside, an old vampire with white, slicked-back hair and a very jolly tummy glared at the ninja. A towel was wrapped around his waist as he hopped out of the shower.

"Oh-ho-ho!" He shouted in anger and surprise. "What are you—" Garu quickly flashed his wooden stake. The vampire's eyes popped as he whistled and hurried out another door of the small bathroom saying, "Oh, my… would you look at the time?"

Garu silently waited for the girl to trail past after that. But as he stood, he realized something wasn't quite right…

The stake! It had been moved to a new pocket…

He looked down at his outfit in horror. Someone had dressed him in a vampiric outfit, complete with a cape and slicked-back hair. Even his pants were different. It took him only a moment to guess who that someone had been.

. . .

A very loud and guttural yelp sounded from one of the rooms behind her. Pucca screeched to a halt in her run, and turned around to find the source. She was certain it was him.

She threw open the door where she heard the sound to see a small bathroom, but he was nowhere in sight. Inside there was a shower, sink, and door to the adjoining room.

Pucca paused for a moment, but threw the other door open wide when she heard a hushed mumbling behind it.

There stood Santa with a dropped towel, his face red as his hands covered the lower half of his body. "Excuse me," he blushed, shuffling away from yet another intrusion.

Pucca popped her tongue out at the image and shuddered with a barely audible "yuck." Shaking her head to clear it, she looked around to find her human. He was nowhere in sight.

But the second door in Santa's room, the one leading out to the corridor, was open wide. She giggled and sprinted out to find the pretty boy.

. . .

For every second he ran, Garu glanced back to see if the girl was behind him. _That had been a very close call in the old vampire's room_ , he thought. _Too close_.

But then again, what would have happened if she caught him? He wondered idly as he ran.

He knew that she would kiss him… but what he didn't know was how he felt about it.

Garu was a very independent, young ninja, and he loathed being forced to do things he didn't want to do. And so in that sense, he hated how aggressive this girl was in trying to force herself on him. Especially when he wasn't even interested in girls!

On the other hand, he couldn't deny that she was impressive. The girl was incredibly fast and strong, more so than he thought possible in any reality. And there was simply something about her. Maybe it was the interesting buns she pulled her hair into, or the silence they both seemed to share. But he realized that while he was terrified of this vampire girl… he found her strangely fascinating.

 _What does that mean_? He started to wonder. Then he heard her giggle and snapped back into the present.

She was less than twenty feet behind him and gaining fast. A set of spiral stairs were close though, and quickly he slid down the railing. Once he hit the floor he continued running to a wide set of double doors that he hoped would lead him out.

Instead he barreled into a full dining room.

Inside, around a grand table, sat well over thirty people, and they all glared up at Garu with hungry eyes.

He was terrified, but still managed to take a deep breath to steady himself. He reached for his stake. _This is it_ , he thought, bracing for the fight that would surely end him.

"HIII-YAA!" Shouted a familiar voice from the red double doors across the room. The giant red masses fell onto the floor with a loud bang, and there stood Ching and Abyo.

When they saw the crowd of vampires before them, the now shirtless Abyo chuckled nervously. "Uh… wrong house?"

The hungry diners shared a short glance before they converged.


	8. Chapter 8

_I have no excuse for the wait on this one. I'm a procrastinator, and frankly I have trouble finishing things. But here I am, finishing this fanfic for you, my beloved readers. If you enjoy my writing style, please review with suggestions for future stories about this adorable couple. For now, I hope you have as much fun with this story as I did. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading!_ **Disclaimer:** I don't own Pucca or any of its rights.

* * *

Ching, Abyo, and Garu were forcibly seated at the end of the long dining table. Around them were vampires and, strangely enough humans, of varying ages. The two were distinguishable only by their pallor and teeth.

But despite the number of people, the room was silent enough to hear the sound of a pin drop. That is, before Abyo started shouting.

"Get your _dirty_ hands _off_ me, you _filthy_ vampires!"

He attempted to wriggle out of the hands that held him down in the chair, but with no luck.

"Abyo…" Ching tried to hold back a groan. She stared pointedly at him, silently asking him not to make the already dangerous situation worse.

Garu, meanwhile, scanned the room in search of an escape. Or at least a strategy. They needed a way out of here and fast. But he couldn't imagine any that would allow them to get through so many people.

Thinking of the word 'people,' he stared curiously at the humans. Could he save them too? Why were they here? And why didn't they run when the chaos of he and his friends' entrance ensued?

While he speculated on this, his eyes roved the room again. But this time he wasn't looking for means of freedom. He was looking for _her_.

Garu convinced himself that he was doing it for valid reasons. It wouldn't do for her to surprise him mid-battle. He needed to be prepared. And while he was relieved not to find her in the crowd, he felt the strangest tinge of disappointment. Then incredulity. _Where was this coming from?_

His thoughts were interrupted yet again that day, when a new set of hands gripped his shoulders. To his dismay, they were familiar.

"Uhnngh!" He gasped, trying to squirm out of her grip. But she just giggled and kissed him on the cheek. He sagged in defeat, face red in shame at being bested by this girl once again.

Abyo meanwhile, ever the talker, continued to make empty threats to the waiting crowd.

But even he went silent when the set of doors he hadn't crashed through opened to reveal three burly men.

One was very pale with only a small tuft of white hair on the top of his head and a dark five o'clock shadow around his mouth and chin. Another had tanned skin and was completely bald, save for the long black braid at the back of his head. He also had a fair amount of facial hair; sporting a thick mustache that looped down into a scruffy beard. The third man had very dark skin and erratic black hair. He wore a thicker beard than the last that matted the bottom half of his face like wool. All three men, despite their varying skin tones, shared an eerie glow; a feature that clearly marked them as vampires.

Garu recognized the three from his earlier fainting spell, and felt a little embarrassed. They were still terrifying, of course, but Garu also felt shamed by the cowardice at the mere three of them, now that he was seated before over a dozen.

And yet, even Abyo had had the sense that these three were the leaders of this coven. Garu was certain that the fate of himself and his friends rested in their hands.

The men smiled as they examined their guests, baring their sharp fangs. But these smiles were somehow genuine and warm.

Their gazes rested on Garu before they spoke.

"Ah! The human ninja is awake…"

"Yes! We're glad to see that you're okay…"

"You hit the floor rather roughly when you fainted earlier."

The gentlemen were kind, and demonstrated true concern for his health. But Garu only felt confusion and annoyance at their words.

He glared sharply at Abyo before the eager friend could jump on the "fainting" comment. But Abyo was too preoccupied with the prospect of being eaten by vampires.

"Oh just _fight_ us already!" He exclaimed, again wriggling against the grip of his captors. "Unless you're afraid Garu and I would kill you before you ate us!"

"Eat you?" One of them exclaimed.

"Is that what you told them, Pucca?" Another asked her with playful chastisement.

She abruptly shook her head and glanced down at the pretty boy, Garu, in curiosity. Was this why he ran away from her?

"B-bu…but you're vampires?" Abyo declared in shock.

Garu and Ching stared wide-eyed as well, Garu acutely aware of Pucca's gaze on his right cheek.

To their further astonishment, the crowd guffawed.

The darkest of the three men spoke through tears of laughter, "Is that still what you Sooga villagers think?" He paused to gain his composure and settled on a hearty smile. "Vampires don't drink blood."

"Yeah," added the man with the braid, "We drink Ja-Jang Red Noodle sauce on our freshly cooked noodles."

"Master Soo saw vampires eating the noodles a long time ago and mistook them for blood." Said the balding one.

"I'm surprised he doesn't know better by now." Finished the first. Then he turned to Dada, who had been silently standing at the back of the room with near twenty dishes balanced in his shaking arms.

"Did you know about this?" A disapproving note colored his tone, and Dada dropped the bowls at the shock of being addressed less than positively.

"Awwww…" He groaned at the mess he would later have to clean, then remembering that Chef Dumpling was speaking to him, responded, "Maybe…"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Asked another chef, slapping a hand to his face in frustration.

"I was too nervous to say anything at first…" He muttered shyly. His face turned bright red and his eyes dropped to the floor.

The chefs looked like they wanted to continue this discussion, but Ching interrupted.

"If you don't drink blood, then why have you been kidnapping all these humans?"

The crowd laughed again.

"We _do_ need people to sell our noodles."

"And a recipe such as ours needs to be shared with everybody."

"But we haven't been kidnapping people." They chuckled at the insinuation.

"We started a promotional free noodle day each Friday the 13th!"

"That's why we send Pucca out to bring in new customers." They grinned at her and remarked, "Though she may have been a little forceful in bringing some of you here." She giggled, smiling widely in a brilliant display of her vampire teeth, and nodding enthusiastically at her uncles' words.

"This manor is big and has many rooms, so most have just stayed after trying the food." They gestured to the crowd of people surrounding them.

Ching, Abyo, and Garu shared glances. In each other's eyes, they could see they were truly starting to believe that the terrifying myth of vampires that plagued their childhoods, really was just a myth.

. . .

After a few more questions from the curious newcomers, Dada managed to bring all the dishes to the table without dropping them.

And the feast began.

There was more laughter, quickly quenched by the sounds of slurping mouths and clattering china. The food was amazing, and not a spot of sauce remained in any bowl… Save one.

Garu carefully readied himself for the meal. He fidgeted in his chair until he was comfortable, properly bibbed himself, and pulled apart his chopsticks. The first noodle barely reached his lips when a figure to his right leaped at him.

Reflexes firing, he sprung out of the way just in time to miss Pucca's attack. Then he bounded out of the dining hall and back up the stairs.

She giggled, trailing behind him. A lively rhythm of funny love played through her mind, propelling her forward with more force and speed than a jet plane. Hearts flew out behind her as she gained on him.

His heart was also fluttering as he gasped in panic. Rounding a corner, he put every last ounce of his energy into racing toward a door at the far end of the hallway. Hiding was surely the only way to evade her.

Garu successfully slid into a pitch black room before she reached the corridor. Inside, he tripped over something on the floor, but landed on what felt like plush carpet. He closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief—

The door slammed open and the lights flicked on. Pucca stared into her room and was exalted by the sight of Garu in her coffin. Without another thought, she dived in, slamming it shut over them.

Hearts ballooned out of the coffin, and sounds of loud groans of displeasure and elated giggling could faintly be heard through its heavy wooden walls. And of course, there was the audible smacking of her lips against his face.

In that small, tight space, Pucca smothered Garu with the love he wasn't entirely sure he didn't share.


End file.
